Thermic plant



June 20, 1939. R. PATERAS PESCARA 2,162,967

' THERMIC PLANT Filed Sept. 7, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l 24 go p11 6 fl Z 6' A Z 6 "raven for. Fan) paieras pescara.

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June 20, 1939- R. PATERAS PESCARA 2,162,967

- THERMIC PLANT Filed Sept. 7, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVWTdR RAUL PATERAS PESCARA A TTDR/VASYJ June 20, 1939.

R. PATE RAS PESCARA THERMIC PLANT Filed Sept. 1955 i2 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Pa 1: IFlaeras Pescara Patented June 20, 1939 2,162,967

THERMIC PLANT Raul Patel-as Pescara, Paris, France, assignor to Socit dEtudes et de Participations, Eau, Gaz, Electricite, Energie, S. A., Geneva, Switzerland Application September I, 1935, Serial No. 39,642 In Belgium September 7, 1934 10 Claims. (Cl. 60-11) The present invention relates to thermic plants to the accompanying drawings, given merely by of the kind including, on the one hand, a system way of example, and in which:

for producing gas under pressure, constituted by Fig. 1 diagrammatically shows a thermic plant at least one internal combustion engine, such for according to the present invention; instance as a two-stroke engine, and at least one Figs. 2 and 3 are diagrams of the cycle, corre- 5 compressor driven by said engine, and, on the sponding to two different modes of working of other hand, at least one receiving apparatus, for the system;

instance a turbine, operated by the gas under Fig. 4 is an enlarged section through the cylpressure thus produced. inder wall and valve of Fig. 1 at the termination In some known plants of this kind, the total of the discharge passages, showing an arrange- 10 amount of compressed gas (more especially air) ment which operates according to Fig. 2;

is used for scavenging the engine, and a portion Fig. 5 is an enlarged section through the cylinonly serves to the feed under pressure of the der wall and an alternative valve at the terminaengine, whereby the compressed gases (generally tion of the discharge passages showing an arin'excess) are evacuated more or less in mixture rangement operating according to Fig. 3; 15 with the burnt gases before reaching the receiving Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic longitudinal section of apparatus. a plant, made according to the invention, in

Ihe object of the present invention is to imwhich the control of the amount of fluid under prove the thermal efiicienoy of thermic plants of pressure fed to the engine both for combustion 9" this kind, and this as well in the case in which of the engine and for scavenging is automatical- 2n the motor-compressor groups are used as genly ensured as a function of the pressure of said erators of compressed gas at the same pressure, I fluid; as when the pressures are different. Fig. 7 shows a modification of this system in The essential feature of the present invention which the control is effected in accordance with consists in heating the compressed gases supplied the temperature of the burnt gases; 9:,

by the generator of gas under pressure (cold Fig. 8 also shows a modification of this arrangegases) and previously separated from the comment; bustion gases from the engine (hot gases) before Fig. 9 shows a plant according to the invention feeding said 'cold gases to the receiving apparatus in which the compressor includes two stages of go (turbine for instance), this heating being obpressure. tained by interchange with the combustion gases In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the engine from the engine after said combustion gases have i is of the two-stroke type, for instance of the been caused to work through the receiving appakind including opposed pistons 2 and 2 and ratus. in which air is caused to pass through the engine Another feature of the invention consists in on the principle called equifiow. This engine as providing plants of this kind with automatic acts on air compressors 3 and 3 the pistons regulating devices which suitably proportion the of which are connected to the above mentioned amounts of fluid flowing through the .engine and pistons of the engine. The pistons of the comthe fluid directly fed to the receiving apparatus, pressors are designated by I and 4 The comaccording to the pressure or the temperature at D essed air s pp y said compressors is re- 40 the inlet of this receiving apparatus. ceived in a conduit 5.

Still another feature of the present invention, This conduit 5 is connected with ports 6 prowhich concerns more especially the case in which vided in the wall of the cylinder' of engine I, the compressed gases and the combustion gases which ports are uncovered when piston 2 is close thus separated work both in the same receiving to the end of its outward stroke. The burnt 45 apparatus, consists in providing means for causgases are evacuated for instance through orifices ing the hot and cold fluids to act alternately on or ports I uncovered by piston i! when the latter the same elements, in order to maintain said eleis close to the end of its outward stroke. The air ments at a mean temperature at which they work under pressure serving for the scavenging of the under satisfactory conditions. engine also escapes through orifices or ports I Other features of the present invention shall which are preferably elongated openings through appear from the following detailed description the cylinder wall.

of some specific embodiments thereof. Fig. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment for the Preferred embodiments of the present invencontrol of the valve l5 which is shown enlarged tion will be hereinafter described with reference in Fig. 4. This valve is automatically controlled, as

so that normally a passage II is opened thereby, while a second passage 8 is opened only when the pressure in the cylinder 2 is nearly equal to that of the air fed through the conduit 5.

Such arrangement is shown in detailin Fig. 4. Valve I5 is pivoted on an axis or shaft I8 located at the common entrance of passages 8 and II, this space also communicating with slots I. A rod 20 pivotally connected to valve l5 at one end is secured at its other end to a piston 2I slidable in a cylinder 22. One end of the cylinder 22 is connected by a pipe 23 to the combustion chamher 2, while its other end is connected by a pipe 24 to the passage 5 of compressed air. \A spring 25 located in the cylinder exerts a force toward the right, or toward the position in which the valve I5 directs gases from slots I into passage 8.

Obviously, any other well known type 0! differential pressure actuated mechanism for operating a valve may be used, and the specific mechanism above described forms no part of the present invention.

It is obvious from the above structure that when the pressure in the cylinder 2 is almost equal to that in the passage 5, spring 25 will push the piston 2| to the right (Fig. 4) and thus will shift valve I5. As long, however, as the pressure in cylinder 2 remains substantially higher than in passage 5 the increased pressure will overcome the force of the spring 25 and will hold the valve in the position shown in Fig. 4, in which it directs any gas issuing from the slot I into the passage I I. The operation and timing will be described more fully herein below in connection with Fig. 2.

The major portion of the burnt gases at a high temperature from exhaust ports I are collected in a conduit II which leads said gases to a receiving machine, such, for instance as a turbine l2, in which they expand down to a pressure equal to the external pressure, said gases remaining at a temperature higher than that of the air fed through conduit 5 and therefore higher than that of the air that has been used for the scavenging of the engine, this air being collected in conduit 8, as above explained.

An important portion of the available heat content of the burnt gases which escape from turbine 2 through conduit I3 is utilized by causing said gases to flow through a heat interchanger through which extends the conduit 8 into which the scavenging air flows. This air is thus heated before being fed to a receiving machine which may, for instanace, consist of the same turbine l2, and through which said air expands down to the external pressure and escapes through an outlet 8a.

The whole of the compressed air fed by conduit 5 may be caused to flow through the engine, so that a considerable excess or scavenging air is thus available It is also possible, as shown by Figs. 6 to 9, to feed and scavenge the engine through only a portion of the compressed air supplied by the compressor, for instance by connecting to a reservoir II the conduit l8 through which compressed air is fed to the engine I and the conduit 8 through which compressed air is fed to the reoeiving machine I2.

Whatever be the arrangement that is chosen, the air compressed at low temperature, whether it has been used for scavenging the engine or not, is heated in the heat interchanger ll by the burnt gases having already expanded through receiving machine I2.

The gain of efliclency that is thus obtained is due to the thermal regeneration oi the low temperature fluid by the heat otherwise lost after escape from the receiving machine, in such manner that the burnt gases escape at a temperature lower than that they would have if they had been mixed with said fluid before entering the receiving machine.

The cycle of engine I may have an interrupted expansion, as visible in the diagram of Fig. 2, or it may have a prolonged expansion, as visible on the diagram of Fig. 3.

In the case of Fig. 2, expansion is stopped at point E by the opening of the exhaust ports I. In this case, the separation of the burnt gases and of the scavenging air may be obtained, for instance, through the pivoting shutter I5, (Figs. 1 and 4), the displacement of which in one dimotion or the other is controlled through an oscillating spindle I8 described above in connection with Fig. 1. According to the position occupied by shutter Ii, the hot gases are sent to conduit I l and the cold gases (scavenging a r) are sent to conduit 8. For this purpose, shutter I5 is adapted to open conduit II for a. portion of the stroke corresponding to FE (Fig. 2), and to close said conduit while opening conduit 8 for a portion of the stroke corresponding to EGA. At point A, when piston 2 covers ports I, compression starts in the cylinder of engine I.

When the expansion is prolonged (Fig. 3), the burnt gases are preferably evacuated through ports I, distinct from the ports 9 through which the scavenging air escapes (such an arrangement being shown in Fig. 5), the conduit 8 through which this air escapes from ports 8 being stopped, at the proper time, by a suitably controlled valve I0 As shown in Fig. 5, the control of valve I0 is accomplished by the position of the piston 2 4. Rigid with the piston 4" is a rod 49 carrying thereon a cam member 52. This cam member acts on one arm 50 of a bellcrank lever pivoted at BI and having its other end 53 engaging the stem of valve IN. A coil spring 54 holds arm 53 in engagement with the valve stem.

When the piston 2 moves from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the left. at the time it covers and closes the slot I cam 52 engages lever 50 and swings it to the left or clockwise. Arm 53 then raises valve II so that gases may escape through slots 9 and pipe I. When piston 2 reaches the inner ends of slots 9 and thereby closes these slots, the end of cam 52 releases lever 50, which returns under the action of the valve spring to its normal position shown in Fig. 5, and the valve I0 is closed.

Now when piston 2 moves tothe right, or outward, when it begins to uncover slots 9, cam 52 strikes lever 50 and swings it to the right or counterclockwise. This, however, merely moves arm 53 downward and does not aflect valve I0 so that this valve is not open during the outward stroke of the piston. The exhaust of the hot gases, which begins at point E, when piston 2 uncovers ports I, takes place for the portion of the stroke (corresponding to EOE) during which valve "I is closed. on the contrary, the exhaust oi the scavenging air may take place during the portion of the stroke (corresponding to EA) for which valve I0 is open and ports I are covered by piston 2". At point A, piston 2 also covers ports 9 and compression starts in the cylinder of engine I.

In Figs. 6, 'I and 8, I have shown. by way of example, some embodlmentain which the stream of scavenging air is branched in shunt on the conduit of compressed airleading to the receiv-' ing machine; that is. a portion or the compressed air goes directly to the receiving machine while a second'portion goes to the receivingmachine by way of the cylinder of the engine.

In this case, the amount of scavenging air may be automatically proportioned, for instance by means of a valve is provided'in the conduit ill through which air is fed from reservoir i'l to the engine.

This valve I! may be operated in various manners.

For instance, in the embodiment of Fig. 6, valve I9 is controlled by the pressure of reservoir II, the compressed air operating a piston 2| connected with slide valve it,

Alternately, in the embodiment of Fig. 7, valve I9 is operative by'the temperature at the inlet of receiving machine l2, through a thermostat 22 subjected to the action of this temperature. It should be noted that this adjusting arrangement, automatically operated by the temperature, is advantageous in that it permits of increasing the power for short periods of time without modilying the amount of scavenging air, because the elevation of temperature of the receiving machine takes place but slowly.

According to a modification, shown in Fig. 8. valve I9 is dispensed with, and replaced by a mere calibrated passage 23* extending between reservoir i1 and a reservoir 240! small volume.

The principle of recuperating the heat of the burnt gases after a preliminary separation of the fluids into two portions is also applicable to generators in which the feed pressure is different from the final pressure of compression. By way of example, a plant including a multiple stage compressor is diagrammatically shown in Fig. 9.

in this embodiment, the air for scavenging and feeding the engine may be obtained from a reservoir I'l into which-is discharged the fluid from the first stage of compression, corresponding to cylinders 3 and 3 When issuing from the engine, the burnt gases are expanded into the first stage I! of the receiving machine, and when issuing irom said stage, these hot gases heat, in heat interchanger I, the cold gases compressed in the cylinders of the second stage of compression, to wit 3N and 3|, this interchanger being disposed beiorethe second stage ll! of the receiving machine, in which the heated gases are finally expanded.

When the receiving machine consists of a turbine such as II, the burnt gases escaping through ports 1 and received through conduit I I might have too 'high a temperature for a good working of the blades of the turbine.

Advantageously, in order to obviate this drawback, a mean temperature of the blades is maintained because, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the blades passed alternately through the hot gases from conduit ii and the cooler gases from conduit 8, V

of course, the invention is also applicable to mo or-generators having free pistons, as known in themselves. v

In a general manner, while I have, in the above description, disclosed what I deem to be practical and eflicient embodiments of the present invention, it should be well understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts without departing from the principle of the present invention as comprehended within the scope of the appended claims. What I claim is:

1. A plant which comprises, in combination. an

internal combustion engine of the two stroke typ an. air compressor arranged to be driven by said engine, a receiving machine adapted to be driven by fluid under pressure having at least two' stages, means for feeding air under pressure from said compressor to said engine for scavenging purposes, means for causing the combustion gases mm said engine to expand by driving one of the stages of said receiving machine, means i'or conveying air under pressure from said compressor to a second stage of the receiving machine, two outlet openings in said receiving machine, the first oi which serves for the outlet 0! the combustion gases after they have expanded in the receiving machine, and the other of which serves for the outlet of the air under pressure from said second stage of the receiving machine, and'means for causing the expanded combustion gases, after their expansion through said receiving machine, to give up heat to the air under pressure on its way from said compressor to said second mentioned stage oi the receiving machine through said conveying means.

2. A plant according to claim 1 in which said compressor is of the two-stage type, further including a first reservoir connected with the first stage of compression of said compressor and opening into said engine, and a. second reservoir connected with the second stage of compression of said compressor and communicating directly with the second mentioned stage of the receiving machine.

3. A power plant which comprises in combination, a gas motor-compressor and a receiving machine adaptedto be operated by gas under pressure, said motor compressor comprising a motor cylinder and at least one compression cylinder, in which gaseous products including combustion gas and compressed gas are produced, at least one piston adapted to slide freely in said motor cylinder and at least one piston slidable in said compression cylinder, means operatively connecting said pistons, means for feeding at least a part of the gas compressed in said compression cylinder to said motor cylinder, means for conducting a part of said gaseous products including at least the majorportion of the hot combustion gas to said receiving machine, means for conveying away such part of the gaseous product after it has expanded in the receiving machine, means for conveying the rest of the gaseous product which contains at most a minor portion of the combustion gas to the receiving machine, and means for causing said expanded part to give of! heat to the last mentioned part on its way to the receiving machine.

4. A power plant as'claimed in claim 3, said receiving machine being a turbine.

5. A power plant which comprises, in combination, an air motor compressor and a receiving machine adapted to be operated by gas under pressure, said motor .compressor comprising a motor cylinder and at least one compression cylinder in which gaseous products including combustion gas and compressed air are produced, at least one piston adapted to slide freely in said motor cylinder, a piston slidable in said compression cylinder, means operatively connecting said pistons, means for feeding a portion of the air compressed in said compression cyl nder to said Patent No. 2,162,967

of assignments inthis office; and

read with this correction therein motor cylinder for scavenging purposes, means for conveying the mixture of combustion gases and scavenging air to said receiving machine, an outlet opening in said receiving machine which serves for the outlet of the combustion gases and scavenging air after they have expanded in the receiving machine, means for conveying away said mixture from said outlet opening after it has expanded in said receiving machine, means for conveying the other part of compressed air directly to said receiving machine, a second outlet opening which serves for the outlet of the said other part of compressed air from the receiving machine, and means for causing said expanded mixture to give oif heat to the last mentioned compressed air on its way to said receiving machine.

6. A power plant substantially as claimed in claim 5, and automatic means operated by said air for adjusting the flow of compressed air from said compressor cylinder to said motor cylinder.

7. A power plant substantially as claimed in claim 5, and means operated by the pressure of the compressed air for automatically adjusting the flow or air under pressure from said compressor cylinder to said motor cylinder.

8. A power plant which comprises, in combination, an air motor compressor and a receiving machine adapted to be operated by gas under pressure, said motor compressor comprising a motor cylinder and at least one compression cylinder, at least one piston adapted to slide freely in said motor cylinder, 9, piston slidable in said compression cylinder, means operatively connecting said pistons, at least one outlet port in said motor cylinder arranged in such manner as to produce exhaust of the combustion gases before the full end of the expansion stroke, a receiving machine adapted to be operated by expansion of fluid under pressure, means for feeding the compressed air from said compressor to said engine for scavenging purposes, at least two conduits adapted to convey gases to said receiving machine from said outlet port, means for alternately connecting said port with said conduits in such man nor that the gaseous products flow through said cylinder and said conduits respectively in two parts one containing-at least the major portion of the combustion gases and the other containing at most a minor portion thereof, and means for causing the first part to give up heat to the sec- I end part on its way to said receiving machine through the second mentioned conduit.

9. A power plant which comprises in combination an internal combustion engine of the two stroke type, a gas compressor arranged to be driven by said engine, a receiving machine adapted to be operated by gas under pressure from said compressor. means for dividing the total amount of compressed gases in two gas streams or different temperature, means for feedlng said two gas streams separately to the receiving machine, two outlet openings in said receiving machine, the first of which serves for the outlet of the gases oi the warmer gas stream after they have expanded in the receiving machine, whereas the second one serves for the outlet of the gases of the cooler gas stream after they have expended in the receiving machine, and means for causing the expanded gases of the warmer gas stream to give of! heat to the gases of the cooler gas stream on their way to the receiving machine.

10. A power plant which comprises in combination, a gas motor-compressor and a receiving machine adapted to be operated by gas under pressure, said motor compressor comprising a motor cylinder and at least one compression cylinder, in which gaseous products including combustion gas and compressed gas are produced, at least one piston adapted to slide freely in said motor cylinder and at least one piston slidable in said compression cylinder, means operatively connecting said pistons, means for feeding at least a part of the gas compressed in said compression cylinder to said motor cylinder, means for conducting a part of said gaseous products including at least the major portion of the hot combustion gas to said receiving machine, said receiving machine having an outlet opening for such part of the gaseous product after it has expanded in the receiving machine, means for conveying away said expanded part of the gaseous product, means for conveying the rest of the gaseous product which contains at most a minor portion of the combustion gas to the receiving machine, means for causing said expanded part to give oil heat to the last mentioned part of its way to the receiving machine and a second outlet opening in said receiving machine for letting out the last mentioned part after it has expanded in the receiving machine.

RAUL PATERAS PESCAHA.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

June 20, 1939.

RAUL PATERAS PESCARA.

It is hereby certified that the above numbered patent was erroneously issued to "SOCIETI'E D ETUDES ET DE PARTICIPATIONS, EAU, GAZ, ELECTRICITE, ENERGIE, S. A." as assignee of the entire interest in said invention, whereas said patent should have been issued to the inventor, said "PESCARA" as assignor of one-tenth to Socite dvEtudes et de Participations, Eau, Gaz, Ele'ctricite, Energie, S. A., of Geneva, Switzerland, as shown by the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 19th day (Seal) that the said Letters Patent should be that the same may conform to the record of September, A. D. 1959.

Henry Van Arsdale,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

Patent No. 2,162,967

of assignments inthis office; and

read with this correction therein motor cylinder for scavenging purposes, means for conveying the mixture of combustion gases and scavenging air to said receiving machine, an outlet opening in said receiving machine which serves for the outlet of the combustion gases and scavenging air after they have expanded in the receiving machine, means for conveying away said mixture from said outlet opening after it has expanded in said receiving machine, means for conveying the other part of compressed air directly to said receiving machine, a second outlet opening which serves for the outlet of the said other part of compressed air from the receiving machine, and means for causing said expanded mixture to give oif heat to the last mentioned compressed air on its way to said receiving machine.

6. A power plant substantially as claimed in claim 5, and automatic means operated by said air for adjusting the flow of compressed air from said compressor cylinder to said motor cylinder.

7. A power plant substantially as claimed in claim 5, and means operated by the pressure of the compressed air for automatically adjusting the flow or air under pressure from said compressor cylinder to said motor cylinder.

8. A power plant which comprises, in combination, an air motor compressor and a receiving machine adapted to be operated by gas under pressure, said motor compressor comprising a motor cylinder and at least one compression cylinder, at least one piston adapted to slide freely in said motor cylinder, 9, piston slidable in said compression cylinder, means operatively connecting said pistons, at least one outlet port in said motor cylinder arranged in such manner as to produce exhaust of the combustion gases before the full end of the expansion stroke, a receiving machine adapted to be operated by expansion of fluid under pressure, means for feeding the compressed air from said compressor to said engine for scavenging purposes, at least two conduits adapted to convey gases to said receiving machine from said outlet port, means for alternately connecting said port with said conduits in such man nor that the gaseous products flow through said cylinder and said conduits respectively in two parts one containing-at least the major portion of the combustion gases and the other containing at most a minor portion thereof, and means for causing the first part to give up heat to the sec- I end part on its way to said receiving machine through the second mentioned conduit.

9. A power plant which comprises in combination an internal combustion engine of the two stroke type, a gas compressor arranged to be driven by said engine, a receiving machine adapted to be operated by gas under pressure from said compressor. means for dividing the total amount of compressed gases in two gas streams or different temperature, means for feedlng said two gas streams separately to the receiving machine, two outlet openings in said receiving machine, the first of which serves for the outlet of the gases oi the warmer gas stream after they have expanded in the receiving machine, whereas the second one serves for the outlet of the gases of the cooler gas stream after they have expended in the receiving machine, and means for causing the expanded gases of the warmer gas stream to give of! heat to the gases of the cooler gas stream on their way to the receiving machine.

10. A power plant which comprises in combination, a gas motor-compressor and a receiving machine adapted to be operated by gas under pressure, said motor compressor comprising a motor cylinder and at least one compression cylinder, in which gaseous products including combustion gas and compressed gas are produced, at least one piston adapted to slide freely in said motor cylinder and at least one piston slidable in said compression cylinder, means operatively connecting said pistons, means for feeding at least a part of the gas compressed in said compression cylinder to said motor cylinder, means for conducting a part of said gaseous products including at least the major portion of the hot combustion gas to said receiving machine, said receiving machine having an outlet opening for such part of the gaseous product after it has expanded in the receiving machine, means for conveying away said expanded part of the gaseous product, means for conveying the rest of the gaseous product which contains at most a minor portion of the combustion gas to the receiving machine, means for causing said expanded part to give oil heat to the last mentioned part of its way to the receiving machine and a second outlet opening in said receiving machine for letting out the last mentioned part after it has expanded in the receiving machine.

RAUL PATERAS PESCAHA.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

June 20, 1939.

RAUL PATERAS PESCARA.

It is hereby certified that the above numbered patent was erroneously issued to "SOCIETI'E D ETUDES ET DE PARTICIPATIONS, EAU, GAZ, ELECTRICITE, ENERGIE, S. A." as assignee of the entire interest in said invention, whereas said patent should have been issued to the inventor, said "PESCARA" as assignor of one-tenth to Socite dvEtudes et de Participations, Eau, Gaz, Ele'ctricite, Energie, S. A., of Geneva, Switzerland, as shown by the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 19th day (Seal) that the said Letters Patent should be that the same may conform to the record of September, A. D. 1959.

Henry Van Arsdale,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

